July 9, 2004

July 9, 2004

The Catholic News & Herald 1

www.charlottediocese.org

Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte

Pastoral Assignments Latest pastoral changes listed

| Page 6

Established Jan. 12, 1972

by Pope Paul VI JULY 9, 2004

Vatican looks to speed up processing of sex abuse cases

by JOHN THAVIS catholic news service

VATICAN CITY — Two U.S. canon lawyers are expected to arrive this fall for work at the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation, part of an effort to speed up processing of sex abuse cases, church officials said in early July.

The move responds to concern by both U.S. bishops See CASES, page 13

Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte

vOLUME 13

no. 37

Putting faith into action Teens visit Charlotte area for volunteer work

by

KEVIN E. MURRAY editor

BELMONT — Hundreds of teen-agers recently traded a week of summer vacation for volunteer service around the Charlotte area.

A dozen teens volunteering at Holy Angels in Belmont were among more than 400 high school students from Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland who participated See HEART, page 7

Empowering leaders

Photo by Kevin E. Murray

Spreading smiles Sandra, a resident at Holy Angels in Belmont, enjoys a visit from teen-agers participating in the Catholic HEART Workcamp 2004 in the Diocese of Charlotte June 27-July 2. Charlotte Catholic High School served as one of the 24 Catholic HEART (Helping Everyone Attain Repairs Today) camps throughout the United States and Jamaica.

Rooted in faith

Black Catholics gather for interdiocesan conference by

KAREN A. EVANS staff writer

Photo by Karen A. Evans

Participants in the Faithful Servant leadership program engage in the laying on of hands during the closing commissioning June 25. Faithful Servant is a weeklong leadership institute blending Catholic theology, spirituality and leadership skills sponsored by the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry.

See story page 9.

GREENSBORO — Black Catholics from Asheville to Wilmington gathered for the first North Carolina Black Catholic Conference at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro June 25-27.

The purpose of the conference was to bring together

Catholics of African descent for inspiration and collaboration and to promote and accomplish on a local level the goals set by the National Black Catholic Congress, according to conference organizers.

A secondary goal was to empower and encourage See CONFERENCE, page 5

Photo by Karen A. Evans

A display with the Book of the Gospels placed on kinte cloth at the first North Carolina Black Catholic Conference in Greensboro June 25-27.

Cleansing spirits

Culture Watch

Perspectives

College students spread God’s love in Costa Rica

‘Fahrenheit 9/11,’ WWII chaplains

Abortion vs. war, baptizing children

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| Pages 10-11

| Pages 14-15

2 The Catholic News & Herald

InBrief

July 9, 2004

Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard

Jewish leaders fear anti-Semitism among Hispanic immigrants ROME (CNS) — U.S. Jewish leaders met with Vatican officials in late June to raise what they consider a growing problem: anti-Semitism among Hispanic immigrants to the United States.

According to surveys, new Hispanic arrivals in the United States are “44 percent infected” with anti-Semitic attitudes, reflecting lower sensitivity to the problem throughout their Latin American countries of origin, said Abraham Foxman, national director of the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League.

The rate of anti-Semitism among the immigrants is more than twice that of U.S.-born Hispanics, Foxman said.

A high percentage of the immigrants believe the Jews were responsible for Christ’s death, he said.

“For us, this is very important, because the Hispanic community is growing in the United States. And at the end of the day that will also have an impact on the Catholic Church,” Foxman said.

Foxman and other ADL lead-

‘Starving’ for Justice’

Diocesan planner CNS photo by Bob Roller

Marianist Brother Brian Halderman demonstrates against capital punishment in front of the Supreme Court building July 1. Brother Halderman and 30 other abolitionists participated in the annual “Starvin’ for Justice ’04” fast and vigil.

Marianist brother protests death penalty with fast at Supreme Court WASHINGTON (CNS) — Just as “Mary stood at the cross as Christ was killed in a state-sanctioned execution,” Brother Brian Halderman said he was at the Supreme Court to stand with those on death row who face what he feels is a violent and unjust death.

“The death penalty creates more victims,” said the Marianist brother June 30, after he had begun a four-day fast in front of the court to protest the death penalty.

Brother Halderman, along with about 30 other abolitionists, began the annual fast and vigil, “Starvin’ for Justice ’04,” with songs, prayer and sharing of stories at midnight June 29.

The abolitionists carried large signs with quotes from former Supreme Court justices, and handed out educational pamphlets. They also were selling ball caps and T-shirts and talking with hundreds of Washington residents and tourists as they passed by the Supreme Court.

Brother Halderman said he was “asking people, ‘Hey, look at this for yourself,’” because he thinks too often news accounts present a sterilized version of executions.

The Abolitionist Action Committee organized the vigil in association with other sponsoring groups, including Journey of Hope, an organization founded by relatives of murder victims who oppose

the death penalty.

Brother Halderman, a board member of Journey of Hope, began protesting the death penalty while he was a student at the University of Dayton after a “powerful experience” he had at a vigil outside an Ohio penitentiary on the eve of an execution.

He counts the inspiration of Sister Helen Prejean, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille and prominent death-penalty opponent, as one of his reasons for joining the Society of Mary and for opposing capital punishment.

People’s reactions to the fasters were varied, Brother Halderman said. “Some people pat you on the back and stop and thank you.” As for those in favor of the death penalty who stopped to talk, he said, “It’s good that people want to debate.”

He said his goal is to educate people and let them know that he believes the death penalty is a violent solution that contributes to evil in the world.

The dates of the vigil, June 29-July 2, mark the anniversaries of two landmark Supreme Court cases, in 1974 and 1976, that required states to rewrite their death penalty laws and resulted in sentence reductions for about 600 death-row inmates.

ASHEVILLE VICARIATE HENDERSONVILLE — Everyone is invited to attend a Conference for Catholic Laity “Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus: Living as Eucharistic People” Aug. 21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Immaculata School, 711 Buncombe St. Father Frank Doyle, pastor of St. Margaret Church in Maggie Valley will give the keynote address. Workshops will be offered on using the lectionary; prayer and skills and theory for catechists. For more information or to register contact Elizabeth Girton at (828) 252-8816 or faithformation@bellsouth.net.

ASHEVILLE — The St. Martin De Porres Dominican Laity Chapter meets the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the rectory building at the Basilica of St. Lawrence, 97 Haywood St. Inquirers are welcome. For more information, contact Beverly Reid at (423) 6338-4744 or bebereid@adelphia.net.

HENDERSONVILLE — The St. Francis of the Hills Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order meets the fourth Sunday of each month 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 208 7th Ave. West. Visitors and inquirers are welcome. For more information, call Joanita Nellenbach, SFO, (828) 627-9209 or jnell@dnet.net.

CHARLOTTE VICARIATE CHARLOTTE — Where is your faith journey taking you? Join Dorothy, the Scarecrow and friends for this grand adven-

ers spoke with reporters after meeting with Vatican officials. Foxman said he believes anti-Semitism is more prevalent in Latin America in part because of poverty and lack of education, and in part because the church hasn’t promoted its recent pronouncements on Judaism as effectively as it could.

Because the vast majority of Hispanics coming into the United States are Catholic, the ADL believes the church can use its leverage to sensitize these communities to the strong teaching against anti-Semitism that has come out of the Vatican over the last 40 years.

The Jewish leaders think a particular teaching moment in Latin America may be offered by next year’s 40th anniversary of the landmark decree of the Second Vatican Council, “Nostra Aetate,” which condemned all forms of anti-Semitism and affirmed the continuing validity of God’s covenant with

ture on “The Yellow Brick Road” featuring music by Kathy and David with Redeemed, food and coffee. St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., will host a Teen Coffeehouse July 24, 7:30-9:30 p.m. All high school teens are invited to join us for this very special evening. Please call Erin Dunne at (704) 543-7677 for details.

CHARLOTTE — The Diocesan Ministry for Gay and Lesbian Catholics invites family and friends to celebrate the annual LBGT Mass July 28 at 7 p.m. at St. Peter Church, 507 S. Tryon St. for Mass with a reception afterwards in Biss Hall. For more information, call Kevin Melody at (704) 596-3845.

CHARLOTTE — Christians in Career Transition is a ministry of St. Matthew Church, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., devoted to helping people in career crises. The meetings take place on the first and third Monday of each month 7-9 p.m. in the conference room.

For more information, call Rev. Mr. Jim Hamrlik at (704) 576-0456.

GREENSBORO VICARIATE GREENSBORO — Jim McCullough, director of faith formation of Our Lady of Grace Church, 2205 W. Market St., will present “Key to the Scriptures,” a new way to read the Bible with understanding. Classes will meet Tuesdays 7-9 p.m. in the library. To register, leave your name, address and phone number with Mary-Ann DipPaola at (336) 274-6520, ext. 33.

ASHEBORO — Franciscan Father Jude Winkler will speak on Negative Gifts July 26 at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 512 W. Wainman St. We think of gifts as our talents, our best qualities and the best times, but more

july 9, 2 0 0 4 Volume 13 • Number 37 Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Editor: Kevin E. Murray Staff Writer: Karen A. Evans Graphic Designer: Tim Faragher Advertising Representative: Cindi Feerick Secretary: Sherill Beason 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-mail: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

The Catholic News & Herald, USPC 007-393, is published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203, 44 times a year, weekly except for Christmas week and Easter week and every two weeks during June, July and August for $15 per year for enrollees in parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and $23 per year for all other subscribers. The Catholic News & Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason deemed appropriate. We do not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

Second-class postage paid at Charlotte NC and other cities. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237.

The Catholic News & Herald 3

July 9, 2004

FROM THE VATICAN

Pope praises transfer of power in Iraq, expresses hope for formally handed over power June 28 to an interim government with limited powers led by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

Elections slated for January will install a transitional government charged with drawing up a constitution before full elections are held by the end of next year.

As the new caretaker government and the president take up their offices, the pope said, “the Catholic Church throughout the world offers you every support and encouragement in the task of building a new Iraq.”

He said he was “confident that all religious groups within the country will be able to make their voices be heard and to play their rightful part in forging a new society committed to true freedom of conscience, to justice for all and to peaceful dialogue.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II may have been packing his

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II praised the transfer of power to an interim government in Iraq and expressed hope that peace, freedom and prosperity would soon come to the nation.

The message came in a telegram sent on behalf of the pope by the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

It was addressed to Iraq’s new president, Ghazi al-Yawer.

“On the happy occasion of the transfer of power to the interim government of the state of Iraq, the Holy Father sends his cordial greetings to your excellency and to the citizens of your country,” the telegram said.

The pope said that, “as a new chapter begins in the life of the nation,” he was praying that “the hopes of the Iraqi people for peace, freedom and prosperity will soon be fulfilled.”

The U.S.-led coalition government

often it is our struggles, both those within ourselves and the difficult circumstances of our lives, that bring us closer to God. We learn to see these struggles as gifts and allow God to use even our weakness. Fr. Jude has written hundreds of articles and books on Sacred Scripture for adults and children. He conducts missions and retreats throughout the U.S. and Europe. Call (336) 629-0221 or email stjoe@triad.rr.com for more information.

HICKORY VICARIATE

and others began their explorations, and the events leading up to the Trail of Tears and the impact it still has on people today.

Following the presentation, there will be an opportunity to discuss ways to apply Catholic social teachings and address justice issues of the Cherokee people today.

The workshops will take place July 20 at 7 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 37 Sunrise Place, Hwy. 64 in Hayesville and Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 316 Main Street in Bryson City. For more information or to register, call Mary Herr at (828) 497-9498 or email maryherr@dnet.net.

WINSTON-SALEM VICARIATE

LENOIR — Summer Faith Formation Catechesis will be offered each Sunday, 10:20-10:50 in the school building of St. Francis of Assisi Church, 328-B Woodsway Ln. NW. There will be an opportunity for discussion of the day’s gospel. All are invited to share their thoughts. For more Information, call the church office at (828) 754-5281.

NEWTON — A Pastoral Care Training program will be offered July 24, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 720 W. 13th St. The program is designed to train parish volunteers to provide pastoral care to the elderly in a variety of facilities. Volunteers will be exposed to the following concepts: parish ministry, eucharistic ministry, senior sensitivity and confidentiality/compliance/ consistency. Deadline for registration is July 20. Call Sandra Breakfield at (704) 370-3220 or Kathy Mott at (828) 322-2397 to register.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN VICARIATE HAYESVILLE — “Cherokee History and the Trail of Tears: Catholics and Cherokees Continuing Dialogue” will host Russ Townsend, archeologist, interim director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Townsend will share the story of the Cherokee people before the coming of the Europeans, what was happening in Europe before Columbus

Episcopal

calendar

WINSTON-SALEM — Do you want to follow the Church’s teaching on contraception? Learn Natural Family Planning with The Couple to Couple League. Its philosophy is in full accord with Catholic teaching and the method is as effective as the Pill with none of the side effects of unnatural methods. A four-part series of classes will start Aug. 15, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the Bishop Begley Parish Center of Saint Leo the Great Church, 335 Springdale Ave. For more information and registration, call Todd and Stephanie Brown at (336) 765-2909.

KERNERSVILLE — Holy Cross Church, 616 S. Cherry St., celebrates Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Friday until 7:00 p.m. Call the church office at (336) 9965109 for more information.

KERNERSVILLE — Holy Cross Church, 616 S. Cherry St., hosts a Senior Coffee House the first and third Monday of each month, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the DeSales House behind the church. Call the church office at (336) 996-5109 ext. 12 for directions or information.

Summer days: No signs of slowdown as pope prepares for vacation bags for a summer vacation, but events at the Vatican showed no sign of winding down in late June and early July.

From ecumenical encounters to liturgical celebrations, from political pronouncements to pastoral messages, the Vatican was bubbling over with activity.

Passing through the Vatican were groups of U.S. bishops, Jewish leaders, the Spanish prime minister, a Spanish royal couple, the Maltese president and others.

The pope welcomed Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to the Vatican, where the two professed the faith and shared a sermon during a liturgy for the distribution of palliums to new archbishops.

Meanwhile, the Vatican released a papal letter on sports, a message on globalization, a message on the family and massive documentation from the Vatican’s World War II archives. It also issued an unusual public complaint about

Forty-one Ferraris on the

CNS photo from Reuters

A Ferrari circles St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican July 4. Pope John Paul II blessed a group of 41 Ferrari cars after his Sunday Angelus prayer. In the United States, July 4 celebrations marked the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

A SAINT YOU SHOULD KNOW Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680) was the first person born in North America to be beatified. The daughter of a Christian Algonquin woman, Kateri was moved by the words of missionaries and at age 19 converted to Christianity. She was always in danger, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. For three years she grew in holiness giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer, charity and strenuous penance. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. She died the afternoon before Holy Thursday and was beatified in 1980. Her feast day is July 14.

did you know ?

Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following event:

July 11 — 12 p.m.

Mass of dedication for new parish center St. Mary Church, Greensboro

the arrest of bishops in China.

At the Vatican Observatory, some 13 scientific and theological experts gathered for a major conference on evolution. Creationism didn’t even come up; these experts view religion and science as complementary, not rivals, and were looking for a balance between scientific discoveries and metaphysics.

The pope was to head for a two-week stay in northern Italy’s Aosta Valley on July 5. No public activities are planned, and no stream of visitors will be visiting his wood-and-stone chalet.

Then the pope returns to his summer villa at Castel Gandolfo until the end of September. In Castel Gandolfo, aides try to keep his audiences to a minimum, but it’s not unusual for the pope to meet with three or four sets of people in a single morning.

In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued his landmark encyclical letter Humanae Vitae (“Human Life”), which reemphasized the church’s constant teaching that it is always intrinsically wrong to use artificial birth control — contraception — to prevent new human beings from coming into existence. This includes sterilization, condoms and other barrier methods, spermicides, coitus interruptus (withdrawal method), the Pill and all other methods of artificial contraception.

4 The Catholic News & Herald

around the diocese

Resounding with freedom

Soul food

Catholic women teach children about Eucharist, sacraments at

Courtesy Photo by G.G. Hampton

Marge Thomas (left), state secretary for the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, presents a check to Michael Keleher (with mother Jann), a parishioner of St. Joan of Arc Church in Asheville, for placing first in the Catholic Daughters’ Education Contest in May.

Teen’s artwork wins Catholic Daughters education contest ASHEVILLE — Michael Keleher, a 13-year-old parishioner of St. Joan of Arc Church in Asheville, knows how to let freedom ring.

In May, Michael’s pencil-drawn artwork won first place on both the local and state levels for “Let Freedom Ring,” a theme of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Education Contest. Court St. Joan of Arc No. 2471 sponsored the contest on the local level.

“He really did capture the essence of the theme,” said G.G. Hampton, vice regent and education coordinator of Court

July 9, 2004

No. 2471. “You can tell he put a lot of thought and effort into it.”

The court awarded Michael $25 for winning the local contest. Marge Thomas, state secretary for the Catholic Daughters, presented Michael with a certificate for winning the state competition.

Michael’s artwork has been submitted for the national contest. If he wins, he will receive a $100 prize.

“This young man has a gift, and I hope he’ll pursue it,” said Hampton.

“Maybe by being in and winning this contest, he’ll be encouraged to do so.”

the Eucharist by making “manna” and “pots” out of clay.

“Manna is the pre-figuration for the parable of the Loaves and Fishes and Christ’s statement ‘whoever eats this bread will live forever’ in the Gospel of John,” said Summa.

Also on hand to offer spiritual guidance and the sacrament of reconciliation were Father Paul Moreau and Father Eamonn Shelly, members of the Legionaries of Christ. CCWG has been associated with Legionaries of Christ priests since the group’s inception in 2000. The priests visit monthly to provide catechesis and spiritual direction to the members of CCWG. “We’re teaching the children to know and love Christ and how to use their knowledge to serve Christ,” said Summa.

Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.

by

KAREN A. EVANS staff writer

CHARLOTTE — Think “summer” and “food” and most people probably picture hot dogs, watermelon and ice cream cones. The sons and daughters of members of the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group (CCWG), however, were thinking about food for the soul, specifically the Eucharist, during a retreat June 24.

“The Eucharist is the center of our faith,” said Mary Summa, president of the CCWG. “We start there to teach the other sacraments.”

Margaret Gustafson, chair of the retreat, wrote the entire program, which linked the biblical events of the Hebrews receiving manna in the desert to the Last Supper.

The mothers of CCWG put new twists on old games to teach the children about the Ten Commandments and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.

They participated in races, hopscotch and a “fill-in-the-blank” Ten Commandments relay.

In addition to the physical activities, the children learned about the origins of

Photo by Karen A. Evans

Mary Summa, center, demonstrates how to make “pots” and “manna” from modeling clay during the children’s retreat held by the Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group June 24.

July 9, 2004

The Catholic News & Herald 5

around the diocese

Black Catholics gather for interdiocesan

The conference emphasized how black Catholics can be a more integral part of the Catholic Church.

“The Catholic Church has to be inclusive in her evangelization and in her personnel and programs,” said Msgr.

Thomas P. Hadden, vicar for African Americans in the African Ancestry Ministry of the Diocese of Raleigh.

Msgr. Hadden was also a recognition award recipient.

“The church has to present an inviting appearance to people seeking a church home,” he said.

“It’s nice to see so many black Catholics in the state of North Carolina — from both the dioceses — put on a conference together,” said Veronica Sartor, a parishioner of the Basilica of St. Lawrence.

“All God needs from us is a willing spirit,” said Mays. “As long as we say

CONFERENCE, from page 1

to “make sure our black Catholic culture is present in our churches.”

“Our faith lies in the cotton fields, picket lines, sit-ins and at home with our mothers and fathers,” said Mays, echoing the theme of the conference, “Rooted in Faith — Transformed by the Spirit — Empowered for Ministry.”

Mays, who also works with the archdiocesan offices of youth ministry and African American ministry, spoke of “transformation in the midst of hardship.”

“Transformation of the Spirit tells us we must not only be rooted in the faith but be ready to move when God says ‘move.’”

“Young Catholic adults need to affirm themselves as young people in the Catholic Church, so that they will not only stay in the church, but take leadership in the church,” said Father Charles Smith, administrator of St. Rita Church in Indianapolis, who, with his brother, Father Chester Smith, conducted a workshop on building a church of leaders and empowering Catholics of all ages to active church leadership, parish life and stewardship.

“We must take ownership in the church and feel good about who we are,” said Father Charles Smith.

Msgr. Raymond G. East, director of the Office of Black Catholics in Washington, D.C., led an afternoon workshop addressing the issue of “Incorporating your Culture and Traditions into the Liturgy.”

“Culture was the first thing to be eliminated when Africans were brought to America,” he said. “Is culture something to be checked at the door when you come to worship?”

Msgr. East encouraged the partici-

Photo by Karen A. Evans

Keynote speaker Nancy J. Mays, an intern with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, addresses the participants of the North Carolina Black Catholic Conference June 26.

The conference was designed “to bring together Catholics of African descent for inspiration and collaboration and to promote and accomplish on a local level the goals set by the National Black Catholic Congress.”

Catholics of African descent to become more involved in their parishes and diocesan programs.

The conference, which drew 250 black Catholics from the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh, featured keynote addresses, workshops, Mass and other liturgical activities.

Keynote speaker Nancy J. Mays, an intern with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, said it is the right and responsibility of black Catholics

pants to incorporate their cultures into the Catholic liturgy through language, dress and music.

“Merging is good, but we’ve lost our cultural identity and tradition and (the Catholic Church) has lost people because of it,” said Lettie W. Polite, a parishioner of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville. Polite was one of 12 individuals who received a recognition award for outstanding contributions to black Catholics in the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh.

Outstanding contributions Twelve individuals received recognition awards for outstanding contributions to black Catholics in the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh. They were: Diocese of Charlotte Mary McDonald Turner St. Benedict the Moor Church, WinstonSalem Willis Joseph Our Lady of Consolation Church, Charlotte Lettie W. Polite Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville Carl O. Foster Jr. St. Mary Church, Greensboro Barbara Gregory Gardin St. Helen Church, Spencer Mountain Msgr. Mauricio W. West Vicar General and Chancellor, Diocese of Charlotte Diocese of Raleigh Bishop F. Joseph Gossman, Bishop of Raleigh Mariebeth Banks Roosevelt Elivert

6 The Catholic News & Herald

July 9, 2004

around the diocese Celebrating the call

Pastoral Assignments Three sisters commemorate Bishop Peter J. Jugis, bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, announces the following pastoral changes, effective July 6, 2003:

Appointments of Pastors Rev. Msgr. Richard M. Bellow From: Pastor, St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte To: Pastor, St. Mark Church, Huntersville Rev. James W. Cassidy, OSA From: Administrator, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe To: Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monroe (effective March 3, 2004) Rev. Robert M. Ferris From: Administrator, St. Benedict Church, Greensboro To: Pastor, St. Aloysius Church, Hickory Rev. Peter Fitzgibbons From: Administrator, Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, Albemarle To: Pastor, Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, Albemarle Rev. Kurt M. Fohn From: Administrator, St. Philip the Apostle Church, Statesville, and Holy Trinity Mission, Taylorsville To: Pastor, St. Philip the Apostle Church, Statesville and Holy Trinity Mission, Taylorsville Rev. Christopher M. Gober From: Administrator, St. Lucien Church, Spruce Pine, and St. Bernadette Mission, Linville To: Pastor, St. Lucien Church, Spruce Pine, and St. Bernadette Mission, Linville Rev. Matthew K. Kauth From: Administrator, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Franklin To: Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Franklin Rev. Mark S. Lawlor From: Administrator, St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte To: Pastor, St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte Rev. Matthew Leonard From: Administrator, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Lenoir To: Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Lenoir Rev. Shawn O’Neal From: Administrator, St. Joseph Church, Bryson City, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Cherokee To: Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Bryson City, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Cherokee Rev. M. Manh Nguyen, CM From: Administrator, St. Mary Church, Greensboro To: Pastor, St. Mary Church, Greensboro Rev. Adrian Porras From: Parochial Vicar, Holy Family Church, Clemmons To: Pastor, St. Andrew the Apostle, Mars Hill, and Sacred Heart Mission, Burnsville (effective July 27, 2004) Rev. William J. Ruhl, OSFS From: Assignment in Diocese of Raleigh To: Pastor, St. Paul the Apostle Church, Greensboro Rev. Frank Seabo From: Administrator, St. Margaret Mary Church, Swannanoa To: Pastor, St. Margaret Mary Church, Swannanoa Rev. Edward J. Sheridan From: Pastor, St. Aloysius Church, Hickory To: Pastor, St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte Rev. Joseph C. Zuschmidt, OSF From: Administrator, Queen of the Apostles Church, Belmont To: Pastor, Queen of the Apostles Church, Belmont Appointments of Parochial Vicars

Rev. C. Morris Boyd From: Administrator, St. Francis Church, Jefferson, and St. Frances of Rome Mission, Sparta To: Parochial Vicar, Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville Rev. Matthew R. Buettner From: Parochial Vicar, St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte To: Parochial Vicar, St. Dorothy Church, Lincolnton Rev. Robert R. Conway Newly ordained To: Parochial Vicar, St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte Rev. Joseph L. Dinh From: Parochial Vicar, Basilica of St. Lawrence, Asheville To: Parochial Vicar, St. Matthew Church, Charlotte Rev. Duc H. Duong From: Parochial Vicar, St. Matthew Church, Charlotte To: Parochial Vicar, St. Pius X Church, Greensboro Rev. Timothy S. Reid Newly ordained To: Parochial Vicar, St. Mark Church, Huntersville Rev. John F. Starczewski Newly ordained To: Parochial Vicar, St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte Appointments of Administrators Rev. José Antonio Juya To: Administrator, St. Dorothy Church, Lincolnton, while continuing as Hispanic Ministry Coordinator for the Gastonia Vicariate Rev. Msgr. Anthony J. Marcaccio To: Administrator, St. Benedict Church, Greensboro, while continuing as Pastor of St. Pius X Church, Greensboro Rev. Philip J. Scarcella, PhD, JCD To: Administrator, Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Charlotte Rev. Patrick J. Winslow From: Parochial Vicar, St. Vincent de Paul Church, Charlotte To: Administrator, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Jefferson, and St. Frances of Rome Church, Sparta OTHER ASSIGNMENTS Rev. David T. Brzoska From: Administrator, St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Mars Hill, and Sacred Heart Mission, Burnsville Released to: St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, Pa., as Director of Pastoral Formation and Director of Hispanic Ministries Rev. Thomas Murphy, OSFS From: Pastor, St. Paul the Apostle, Greensboro To: Assignment by Oblates of St. Francis de Sales Medical Leave Rev. Richard P. Hokanson Rev. Thomas D. Stott

milestones in ministerial service Jubilee ceremony held at St. Gabriel Church

CHARLOTTE — Three Sisters of Mercy recently celebrated milestones as women religious.

Mercy Sisters Mary Louise Wiesenforth, Bessie McCarthy and Patricia Ann Pepitone celebrated their respective platinum (70), golden (50) and silver (25) jubilees at St. Gabriel Church June 26.

Born Mary Ann Wiesenforth in Troy, N.Y, in 1913, Sister Wiesenforth decided upon finishing high school that she wanted to become a sister to serve God. “I kept trying to tell myself I didn’t have a call,” she said. “It was hard to think that I wouldn’t have my own family.”

After listening to what seemed to be a persistent call from God, Sister Wiesenforth said the most profound moment of her life was her profession of vows Feb. 3, 1939.

She began teaching in parochial schools in North Carolina in the early 1940s until she was assigned to help form a community of sisters in Guam in October 1946. Within a year of arriving, Sister Wiesenforth, serving as director of postulants and novices, helped receive 10 young women as postulants and had 10 more applicants waiting to be received as Sisters of Mercy. She also taught religion, church history and home economics.

She returned to the convent in Belmont 19 years later, where she served as principal of Sacred Heart Elementary School.

Sister Wiesenforth returned to Guam for her 50th anniversary in 1996.

She is now retired.

Born Bessie Florence McCarthy in Newport News, N.J, in 1933, Sister McCarthy entered the Sisters of Mercy in August 1953. While earning nursing degrees in the 1960s, she was known as Sister Mary Camillus. Following Vatican II, she became known as “Sister Bessie.”

She has spent 50 years with her heart

Courtesy Photos by Kris Reich

Mercy Sister Bessie McCarthy, Mercy Sister Mary Louise Wiesenforth and Mercy Sister Patricia Ann Pepitone celebrate jubilees June 26. dedicated to helping the poor, sick and uneducated. She’s hoping to learn Spanish with the possibility of ministering in a Spanish-speaking country.

Born in Jamaica, N.Y., in 1955, Sister Pepitone heard God’s call while attending Sacred Heart College with the Sisters of Mercy.

“The idea gnawed at me and when I would lean toward entering [the convent], it gave me a sense of peace,” she said.

She entered the Sisters of Mercy in August 1977 and currently serves as principal of St. John the Evangelist School in Pensacola, Fla. She gives workshops on discipline and teacher observation, oversees a popular children’s choir and is one of the first five principals in Florida to be involved in the Opportunity Scholarship Program.

July 9, 2004

The Catholic News & Herald 7

MISSION WORK

Teens visit Charlotte area for volunteer work

These kids have heart

HEART, from page 1

Courtesy Photo

Nineteen teens from St. Pius X Church in Greensboro participated in a Catholic HEART Workcamp in Atlanta, Ga., June 6-12.

Teens travel to Georgia for Catholic HEART workcamp GREENSBORO — While some teen-agers went on vacation, a group of Greensboro teens spent a week of their summer sleeping on the floor and helping the needy.

Nineteen youths from St. Pius X Church participated in a Catholic HEART Workcamp in Atlanta, Ga., June 6-12. The workcamps, which are held in dioceses around the United States, were established to offer service projects and evangelical programs for Catholic youth, and typically involve helping improve low-income families, children and the elderly within the host diocese.

The St. Pius X group helped raise the money to attend the workcamp by offering carwashes and babysitting services and assisting at parish events.

Projects during the workcamp included painting, yard work, home maintenance, helping at daycare centers for low-income families and distributing food to the needy. In the evenings, the youth attended programs featuring personal testimonies, motivational speakers and skits to inspire them in their efforts.

Many in the group felt the week was a positive, faith-filled and community-building experience.

in Catholic HEART Workcamp 2004 in Charlotte June 27-July 2. Charlotte Catholic High School served as one of the 24 Catholic HEART (Helping Everyone Attain Repairs Today) camps throughout the United States and Jamaica.

Based in Orlando, Fla., the summer camps are in more than 20 states with between 300 and 500 teens at each camp. The camps offer service projects for Catholic youths by working with local agencies in needy neighborhoods.

This was the fifth year the Diocese of Charlotte hosted a camp. Service projects around Charlotte included working with agencies such as Holy Angels, House of Mercy, Catherine’s House, Love Inc., Room at the Inn and Catholic Social Services, among others.

Evenings were filled with sharing, prayer, skits, games and fun.

At Charlotte Catholic, the students were divided into 58 teams that painted, built wheelchair ramps, and assisted with daycare and yard work, among other duties.

At Holy Angels, a nonprofit organization providing services for child and adult residents with varying degrees of mental retardation, the 12 youths, ages 15-17, and two adults spent the week offering much-needed manual labor; primarily, emptying storage buildings to prepare for upcoming construction around the facility.

“They’ve been extremely helpful in getting that done,” said Mercy Sister Nancy Nance, community relations director for Holy Angels. “They’re an awesome group with a lot of energy.”

“What we did in three days saved

them important time with the residents,” said Kristen Espinoza, 15, from Woodbridge, Va. “I’ve had so much fun.

The hard work really pays off.”

Sister Nance said it’s a common misconception that teen-agers are lazy and self-centered. “For them to come in and do hard labor is very impressive,” she said.

The group also provided classroom help by interacting with the residents, some of whom have physical disabilities and are medically fragile. Sister Nance said the residents benefited from having personal contact with the teen-agers.

“I was at first discomforted and insecure (around the residents), but I knew God wanted me to be there,” said Erin French, 15, from Woodbridge. “It was a worthwhile experience. I realized they’re like me, but we have different needs.”

“They have special talents like anyone else,” said Tom Bennington, 14, from Annapolis, Md. “I wish we had more time with them.”

“The residents gave me a better appreciation for life, and not to take things for granted,” said Kristen.

Sister Nance said the group shared their experiences during lunch hours.

“They’re a very spiritually-based group,” she said.

“The experience has exceeded my expectations,” said Kristen.

“I thought this would be a good way to spend my summer vacation,” said Erin.

“It definitely helped my relationship with God.”

Photo by Kevin E. Murray

Teen-ager s constr uct a cr ucifix out of clothespins at Holy Angels in Belmont during the Catholic HEART Workcamp 2004 in the Diocese of Charlotte June 27-July 2.

8 The Catholic News & Herald

MISSION WORK

Cleansing spirits

College students spread God’s love in Costa Rica by

JULIE OSTERGAARD

special to the catholic news & herald

ALAJUELITA, Costa Rica — While many college students relaxed at home for the Christmas holidays, several collegians from the Diocese of Charlotte ventured to make a difference in Costa Rica.

Eleven students from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem helped refurbish and improve the neglected Tejarcillos Elementary School Jan. 2-11. The school serves more than 1,000 children of undocumented immigrants to the Central American country.

The trip was conceived by Catholic students at Wake Forest University who wanted an international service trip with a Catholic flavor. Participating students were required to help raise funds for the trip and ask 30 people to pray for them while away. A Catholic Relief Services’ Operation Rice Bowl mini-grant from the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace helped purchase supplies.

Operation Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services.

Accompanying the students were their Catholic campus ministers, Conventional Franciscan Father Jude DeAngelo and Julie Ostergaard, along with Karen Anderson, a parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Winston-Salem.

Alcoholism, domestic violence and family abandonment are common among Alajuelita’s population of 10,000, which consists mostly of undocumented immigrants from Nicaragua. Homes in the area are mainly shacks of corrugated metal and scraps.

“I saw just a glimpse of how much poverty and suffering there is in the world and how easy, and how much fun, it is to put a smile on so many people’s faces,” said sophomore Will Brown.

The students learned that Nicaraguans are largely looked down upon by the Costa Rican population. They felt

July 9, 2004

Courtesy Photo

Julie Ostergaard, a Catholic campus minister at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, holds a child during the ministry’s mission trip to Costa Rica. that working at the school was a good way to make a positive difference in the immigrant children’s lives.

“There were graffiti-riddled bathrooms where the sanitary conditions were unfathomable,” said Jim Fitzpatrick, who graduated from Wake Forest University in May. “Sinks did not function, toilets were broken, gutters were filled with dirt and trash. The walls looked like they hadn’t been painted in decades.”

“It was our goal to do what we could for this school,” he said.

Despite the daunting task, Fitzpatrick said no one in the group complained about the work.

The students cleaned and painted three sets of bathrooms and walls, cleaned out gutters and cut grass.

“We left the school looking nothing like the place we entered,” said Fitzpatrick.

The true testament to their work, he said, was the principal’s reaction.

“As she looked around at the work we had done, she was astonished,” said

Fitzpatrick. “Unable to contain her emotions, she cried.”

In addition to fixing up the school, the college students colored, painted and played soccer with the children on an uneven field called los Pinos (“the Pines”).

Pedro, the first child encountered on the walk from Tejarcillos to los Pinos, led the group to the central area in the Verbana Community, where kids burst out of their shacks to play soccer.

“I don’t know exactly how it will affect my future plans, but that trip definitely planted a seed in the back of my mind,” said Brown. “I will never forget those kids.”

Evenings on the trip were spent in prayer, reflection and celebrating the Eucharist.

“Those things, coupled with the experiences at the school and with the kids, made me feel so intimate with God,” said Fitzpatrick. “I have never felt more intimate with God than during those 10 days.”

Wake Forest’s Catholic Campus Ministry plans to return to Costa Rica with another group of students in January 2005.

“There are so many people out there that need help. It can get overwhelming at times when you think about how much poverty is actually out there,” said Fitzpatrick. “Those kids in Tejarcillos were not looking for money, but they need help. They need someone to believe in them, to love them, to let them know that they are special.”

“I never thought I would find an abundance of love in Alajuelita, Costa Rica, but that is exactly what I found,” he said. “Love opened my eyes and my heart.”

Julie Ostergaard is a Catholic campus minister at Wake Forest University. Editor Kevin E. Murray contributed to this story.

Want More Info?

For more information on the CRS Operation Rice Bowl program, contact Terri Jarina at (704) 370-3234, e-mail thjarina@charlottediocese.org or visit www.cssnc.org/ justicepeace.

2004 ORB mini-grant recipients

Each Lent, diocesan parishes and schools participate in Operation Rice Bowl (ORB), the Catholic Relief Services’ program of prayer, fasting, learning and giving.

The majority of funds distributed from the ORB collection goes to the national CRS office for anti-poverty programs worldwide, and a smaller portion remains in this diocese, which the diocesan CRS committee sponsors a minigrants program for local initiatives on international issues or projects. The project or program can be part of a larger initiative.The 12 recipients received $500 each for a total of $6,000.

Hispanic Bible Study Youth Group Hispanic Center, Ellerbe Bible study materials for youth of migrant families.

“Go Where They Are” Hispanic Faith Formation Program St. James Church, Hamlet Materials for faith formation and sacramental preparation classes to serve the children of Hispanic families where they live.

“Go Where They Are” Hispanic Faith Formation Program Sacred Heart Church, Wadesboro Materials for faith formation and sacramental preparation classes to serve the children of Hispanic families where they live.

English as a Second Language Program Our Lady of the Assumption School, Charlotte ESL materials for Our Lady of the Assumption School students.

Jornada Juveniles (Youth Evangelization Retreat) Hispanic Ministry, Salisbury and Albemarle vicariates Supplies for faith retreats for Hispanic youth.

Spanish Faith Formation Programs Sacred Heart Church, Salisbury Bible study materials for Hispanic youth and adults.

La Mariposas Catholic Outreach St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Mars Hill Educational and social opportunities for Hispanic women.

Vicuna Project in Campo del Rosario St. Pius X Church, Greensboro Supplies to build a fence to contain vicuna animals for members of the sister parish in Manázo, Peru.

After School Tutoring Program St. Joseph Church, Asheboro Educational supplies for Hispanic children’s tutoring program.

Pastoral Spanish Immersion Course Preparation Diocesan Hispanic Ministry Preparation materials for a Spanish Immersion Course for priests and deacons.

Costa Rica Mission Trip Wake Forest Catholic Campus Ministry, Winston-Salem Supplies for service project conducted by university students during mission trip.

Medical Terminology and Cultural Sensitivity Prep Course St. Michael Church, Gastonia Course materials for Hispanic participants interested in

July 9, 2004

AROUND THE DIOCESE

The Catholic News & Herald 9

Becoming faithful servants of Christ

Youths, young adults immersed in Catholic leadership institute by

KAREN A. EVANS staff writer

CHARLOTTE — The Catholic leaders of tomorrow spent an intense week of work and worship at the “Faithful Servant” retreat held at Queens University June 20-25.

Fifty-eight youths, young adults and adults from the dioceses of Charlotte, Raleigh and Johnson City, Tenn. participated in the annual retreat, which was sponsored by the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh. “‘Faithful Servant’ is an institute blending Catholic theology and spirituality with universal, secular leadership skills,” said Paul Kotlowski, director of diocesan youth ministry.

The retreat is designed “to provide an opportunity to develop leadership skills through an intense week of experiential learning within the context of Christian community,” Kotlowski said.

The Diocese of Charlotte is a pio-

neer in the creation of the weeklong leadership conference, said Kotlowski.

The conference originated as the Christian Leadership Institute about 27 years ago.

Participants were divided into seven small “communities” that focused on skills such as organization, communication, leadership styles, group dynamics, planning, diversity training and consensus seeking.

Members then exercised those skills through the planning of Christian experiences for the large group, Kotlowski said.

“The leadership qualities workshops were amazing,” said David Robertson, a rising junior at North Durham High School and a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Durham.

“I learned so much to take back to my youth group.”

“Faithful Servant” is rooted in being Eucharist, said Kotlowski.

“At the center of the week stands

Courtesy photo by Jim Richmond

Participants in the adult community assemble a poster representing individual personalities coming together to form a community of faith for the week during the opening evening of the Faithful Servant leadership program June 20. a theological session on the body of Christ,” he said. “Just as the Eucharist stands at the center of our lives as Catholic Christians.”

“I grew closer to Christ and learned how to become a better leader in ministry,” said Jonathan Bradburn, a rising junior at Science Hill High School and a parishioner of St. Mary Church, both in Johnson City, Tenn.

Kotlowski said the purpose of the retreat is “to assist young people in realizing the beauty, rights and responsibilities of their baptism.”

“It is also constructed to equip

them with skills that will enhance the quality of their lives when they utilize them,” he said.

“Even though everyone is from different places, in coming together, we are whole and stronger,” said Kiersten Shelton, a rising senior at University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a parishioner of St. Thomas Aquinas Church.

Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.

1 0 The Catholic News & Herald

July 9, 2004

Culture Watch

A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more

The story of four chaplains who died together in World reviewed by MAUREEN E. DALY catholic news service

“No Greater Glory” is the story of four World War II U.S. Army chaplains who died together when their troop ship sank in the freezing North Atlantic.

The Dorchester, a U.S. Army troop ship, was carrying 900 men to Greenland from Nova Scotia when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat near midnight on Feb. 3, 1943. More than 600 men died that night — some from wounds but most from drowning or freezing in the cold, rough seas.

Many of the survivors witnessed the calm bravery of the four chaplains — Catholic, Methodist, Dutch Reformed and Jewish — who helped others to safety and were last seen standing together and praying as the ship went down.

The four men came to symbolize interfaith understanding, selflessness and heroism. They were commemorated on a postage stamp issued shortly after their deaths, while the war was still going on. It read: “These immortal chaplains: Interfaith in action.”

Dan Kurzman, former foreign correspondent for The Washington Post, interviewed dozens of witnesses who saw what happened that night as well as friends and families of the four chaplains.

He brings alive the truly admirable qualities of these four men. All four were educated and gifted; they had spent years preparing for their professions and then years in ministry, with little finan-

cial reward. They had bunked together only a short time, but the character that showed when they were in crisis was the result of a lifetime of preparation.

The four immortal chaplains were a Methodist minister, the Rev. George Lansing Fox, 41, from Gilman, Vt.; Rabbi Alexander Goode, 31, of York, Pa.; a Dutch Reformed minister, the Rev. Clark Poling, 32, from Schenectady N.Y.; and a Catholic priest, Father John Washington, 33, of Kearney, N.J. The rabbi and the two ministers were all happily married with children. Father Washington, a gifted musician, was close to his recently widowed mother. He was one of three sons she lost in the war. She never recovered from her grief over his death.

The book also includes photos of the four chaplains and survivors, the U.S. and German ships, the postage stamp and church stained-glass windows memorializing the men. Most striking is a photo of a reconciliation ceremony between German and American veterans who survived that night. The now elderly survivors were brought together in 2000 by the Immortal Chaplains Foundation, a fitting end to an inspiring story.

Daly is book review editor for Catholic News Service.

WORD TO LIFE

Sunday Scripture Readings: jULY 18, 2004

July 18, Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle B Readings.

1) Genesis 18:1-10a Psalm 15:2-5 2) Colossians 1:24-28 3) Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

by JEFF HENSELY catholic news service

I’ve been blessed to know people who possessed a tremendous sense of hospitality and generosity, like that displayed by Abraham in the Genesis reading.

Scripture doesn’t tell us why Abraham begged the three strangers passing by to stop so he could refresh them. But they acquiesced and one guest, identified in the passage collectively as God, offers a prophecy.

In a year, when he passes that way again, Sarah will have a child. This is an impossibility in the eyes of men, but very

much possible if your guest and prophet happens to be God himself.

So have the rules changed in the Mary and Martha story? Is Martha doing wrong by doing right; Mary doing right by neglecting the duties of hospitality? No, it’s a matter of timing, discernment and recognizing who the guest is. Mary, who takes “the better part,” sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to him, basking in his presence, is doing the right thing at the right time.

Perhaps that’s why the Colossians reading points us to the centrality of Jesus. Paul speaks of his suffering for Christ on behalf of his body, the church, and makes it clear how important, how central, Jesus and his incarnation are.

Martha missed out on an opportunity to attend to Jesus, God’s Word made flesh, instead of cooking for him.

Perhaps the next time we entertain guests, we’ll get more out of their visit if we use at least part of our time to seek out the presence of Jesus in them. Perhaps it was recognizing and

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE Scripture for the week of July 11 - July 17 Sunday (Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Deuteronomy 30:10-14, Colossians 1:15-20, Luke 10:25-37; Monday, Isaiah 1:10-17, Matthew 10:34—11:1; Tuesday (St. Henry), Isaiah 7:1-9, Matthew 11:20-24; Wednesday (Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha), Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16, Matthew 11:25-27; Thursday (St. Bonaventure), Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19, Matthew 11:28-30); Friday (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, Matthew 12:1-8; Saturday, Micah 2:1-5, Matthew 12:14-21 Scripture for the week of July 18 - July 24 Sunday (Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Genesis 18:1-10, Colossians 1:24-28, Luke 10:3842; Monday, Micah 6:1-4, 6-8, Matthew 12:38-42; Tuesday (St. Apollinarius), Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Matthew 12:46-50; Wednesday (St. Lawrence of Brindisi), Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10, Matthew 13:1-9; Thursday (St. Mary Magdalene), Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13, John 20:1-2, 11-18; Friday (St. Bridget of Sweden), Jeremiah 3:14-17, Matthew 13:18-23; Saturday (St. Sharbel Makhluf), Jeremiah 7:1-11, Matthew 13:24-30

The Catholic News & Herald 11

July 9, 2004

‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ generates heat, little light

by DAVID DiCERTI catholic news service

NEW YORK — Michael Moore’s documentary “Fahrenheit 9/11” is a scathing indictment of the Bush administration’s domestic and international policies leading up to and following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Unabashedly biased in its inflammatory assertions, the controversial film is certain to provoke strong reactions from bashers and backers alike of President George W. Bush.

However, in mounting such a onesided ad hominem attack, director Moore walks a perilous line between investigative journalism and partisan propaganda. And, though artfully packaged, as a political polemic the case made by Moore ultimately falls short of convincing.

The terrain covered by “Fahrenheit 9/11” is as sprawling as it is contentious.

The film revisits the events surrounding the hotly disputed presidential election of 2000, then rushes into a relentless pillorying of Bush, who is caricatured throughout as a lazy, incompetent buffoon.

Moore’s livid litany consists mainly of warmed-over accusations, leading him to investigate territory already charted in exposes by Bush insiders like Richard Clarke and Paul O’Neill. While Moore lands some body blows on Bush, his rant offers little in the way of new information or stop-thepresses revelations.

In a nutshell, Moore contends that Bush sought to capitalize on Sept. 11 by fanning the flames of fear in order to stifle dissent and hoodwink the American public into an immoral war with Iraq. Moore also rehashes allegations that Bush both profited from and was influenced by his family’s financial ties to prominent Saudi oil sheiks, including members of the ultra-

wealthy bin Laden clan.

The film soon loses focus, unraveling into a shapeless and discursive diatribe that goes everywhere and nowhere. The accompanying analysis is superficial at best. Its title notwithstanding, while the film has certainly generated much heat, it provides little light.

Moore hits viewers over the head with an angry screed of statistics, jettisoning any pretense of impartiality.

Nowhere is this lack of objectivity more evident than in his choice of interviewees, all of whom are in lockstep agreement with the film’s overriding thesis. Such an unbalanced approach mutes the credibility of his arguments, a pitfall that could have been avoided by a more evenhanded inclusion of voices from both sides of the political divide.

The film unfairly subscribes to a blame-Bush-for-everything attitude that fails to take into account wider geopolitical realities, including the foreign-policy missteps of previous administrations.

Moore buttresses his version of the story with carefully selected images and sound bites — strung together without context or, in some cases, even sources — which conveniently support his oversimplified conspiracy theories, resulting in a misleading, manipulative and at times self-contradicting interpretation of facts.

Viewers will most likely leave with the same political baggage that they came in with. To critics of Bush, Moore’s hoop-jumping is simply preaching to the choir. However, the question remains: Will the choir loft become more crowded as a result?

From a filmmaker with his evident passion and satirical skill, one would have expected more.

Due to footage of battlefield violence, graphic images of combat casualties including children, and some rough language, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted.

1 2 The Catholic News & Herald

July 9, 2004

in our schools

So long, farewell, adieu

Three diocesan principals embark on new journeys by

KAREN A. EVANS staff writer

CHARLOTTE — The principals of three diocesan Catholic schools have bid farewell to their students, faculty and staff as they seek new challenges and opportunities.

Bob Wehde, principal of Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point, left the post to become principal of Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho, the state’s only Catholic high school.

Boise will be a homecoming of sorts, as Wehde earned his master’s degree from Idaho State University and an educational specialist doctorate from University of Idaho.

Wehde said the greatest asset to his job as principal was “the people that I was blessed with, to work with supporting parents, parishioners and the loving students and families of Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

As principal of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Wehde initiated a collaborated curriculum for the Triad Area Catholic Schools.

“Bob left his mark here, even after only one year with the diocese,” said Linda Cherry, superintendent of dioc-

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Candidate must be experienced with master’s degree in theology, religious education or a related field. Send resume and a statement of your vision of Faith Formation to: Faith Formation Search Committee, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, Greensboro, NC 27410; fax (336) 294-6149; e-mail sbarnes@ stpaulcc.org.

RETAIL POSITIONS: National Sandwich Shop opening inside major retailer in Forest City and Shelby. Management and part-time positions.

Benefits. Bonuses. Training. (704) 219-0338 or JLPavlish@Carolina.rr.com” SPANISH TEACHER: Immaculate Heart of Mary School has an opening for a parttime middle school Spanish teacher. Needs to be either NC Certified or open to obtaining Lateral Entry. Please fax resume and cover letter to (336)-887-2613 or email to nachter@ihmchurch.org or mail directly to Immaculate Heart of Mary School, 605 Barbee Ave., High Point, NC 27262 — ATTN: Principal.

TEACHER AND COUNSELOR: Immaculata School announces two openings to begin with the 2004/05 school year: 1) Elementary School Counselor: 3/5th time and 2) First Grade Teacher Full-Time. Send letter of application and resume ASAP to William Meehan, Principal, Immaculata Catholic School, 711 Buncombe St., Hendersonville, NC 28791.

esan Catholic schools.

Walt Przygocki, principal of St. Mark School in Huntersville, left the diocesan schools after 35 years of service as a teacher, administrator and coach.

In June, he had a manuscript addressing teacher retention in Catholic schools published in the research journal Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice.

This accomplishment led him to make the decision to pursue a fulltime writing career, while continuing to teach at University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Przygocki earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Belmont Abbey College and a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctorate in education leadership from University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“We have wonderful students here at St. Mark School,” he said. “That’s been the real joy — to see the halls fill up with 470 students who are excited to be here.”

Ginny Hutton, principal of Asheville Catholic School, is departing after a lifelong career in Catholic education to enter “semi-retirement.”

TEACHERS: Asheville Catholic School has the following positions open for the 2004-2005 academic year: 1) 3rd GRADE TEACHER: We seek a dynamic, experienced NC certified teacher to teach all academic subjects. 2) PT GENERAL & LITURGICAL MUSIC TEACHER: For grades Pre-K through 8th. Flexible schedule. We are an EOE. Please send curriculum vitae to: Mrs. Donna Gilson, Asheville Catholic School, 12 Culvern Street, Asheville, NC 28804.

YOUTH MINISTER: Needed for vital, active, growing suburban parish near Charlotte. Part-time; hours and benefits negotiable. Team builder, organizer, good communications needed. Degree or commensurate experience; certification in youth ministry or desire to certify. Send applications to Fr. Jerry McAndrews, St. Therese Catholic Church, 217 Brawley School Rd., Mooresville, NC 28117; email jmcandrews@sainttherese.net or fax 704660-6321.

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Payment: For information, call (704) 370-3332.

“I’ll be spending the summer in Florida with my seven grandchildren,” she said. “After that, I’ll look for a position in lay ministry, such as in faith formation or as a pastoral associate.”

“I am truly impressed by and amazed by (Asheville Catholic School teachers’) love, dedication, experience and their strong academic backgrounds,” she said. “We have tremen-

dous support and involvement of the parents, who bring a wealth of gifts, talents, enthusiasm and joy.”

“I now look forward to working with adults and children of all ages,” Hutton said.

Contact Staff Writer Karen A. Evans by calling (704) 370-3354 or e-mail kaevans@charlottediocese.org.

July 9, 2004

in the news

Vatican looks to speed up processing of sex abuse cases CASES, from page 1

and Vatican officials that more manpower is needed to break through the logjam of abuse cases at the Vatican.

Since new norms went into effect last year, hundreds of cases have arrived at the doctrinal congregation, which has oversight responsibility for all priestly sex abuse cases involving minors. The congregation has added some staff, but the workload has been described by some as overwhelming.

The result is that it may take months to remove even an acknowledged abuser from the priesthood, and longer if an extensive investigation or church trial is involved. U.S. Catholics should be aware that as the cases are reviewed and investigated, the priests

are not in active ministry.

Archbishop Sean P. O’Malley of Boston was the latest U.S. prelate to express frustration at what he called the “very slow” pace of processing abuse cases. Speaking to Boston media in Rome, he cited two causes for the lag: lack of Vatican personnel, and reluctance by alleged victims of abuse to share their allegations with church investigators.

Archbishop O’Malley told Catholic News Service that the plan to bring over U.S. canon lawyers should help address the problem.

“I think that will be a big help, because they’re understaffed,” he said of the Vatican congregation.

The archbishop said the Vatican was very open to the idea of sending the U.S. experts, and that it looked like

it would happen this fall.

A Vatican official confirmed that two church U.S. canon law experts were expected in Rome this fall to help prepare clerical abuse cases for processing. They were likely to be assigned for an 18-month period.

“We are getting extra help, and we are doing everything we can to handle these cases fairly. It is important that we do things as quickly as possible; it is also important that we ensure protection of everyone’s rights,” said another informed Vatican source.

The source emphasized that because of the nature of the abuse cases, many cannot be handled quickly. Allegations often are made many years after the abuse occurred, making it difficult to gather evidence and interview witnesses, and the allegations sometimes are denied — by an accused priest or, more rarely, by a victim.

The Catholic News & Herald 13

Review board’s interim head sees more cooperation with bishops

by AGOSTINO BONO catholic news service

WASHINGTON — The outgoing interim chairwoman of the bishops’ National Review Board said that she expects more collaboration between the lay board and the bishops now that the board has demonstrated its independence.

Another aid to cooperation is that the board has shown the high quality of its work in helping the bishops implement policies to prevent clergy sex abuse of minors, said Justice Anne M. Burke.

Burke, an Illinois Appellate Court judge, spoke to Catholic News Service after the review board met June 27-28 to plan future activities.

Because the board was appointed by the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “we worked hard at autonomy” from the hierarchy to establish credibility, she said.

Initially, the board needed a wall between it and the hierarchy “to avoid the view that we are a rubber stamp for the bishops,” said Burke.

“The board will remain independent but be more collaborative,” she said.

Burke said that in a June 11 letter to her, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, praised the work done by the board as an example of lay cooperation with the bishops.

The cardinal’s letter came in response to her offer for board members to hold a second meeting with the cardinal to discuss the U.S. situation, she said.

The doctrinal congregation has overall church authority in clergy sex abuse cases.

She quoted the cardinal’s letter as saying: “Your offer is most generous and is also appreciated, especially in light of our conviction regarding the benefit to be derived from a close collaboration between bishops and the lay faithful on issues such as those dealt with in the National Review Board’s two reports.”

The two reports were a statistical study on the nature and scope of the crisis and a report on some of the possible reasons behind the scandal.

At its June meeting, the review board discussed future activities such as the planned study on the “causes and context” of the crisis, Burke said.

The study will include an in-depth look at “what was the nature of the environment that allowed victims and perpetrators to come together,” said Burke.

She estimated that the study would take three to four years and involve interviews with numerous victims and perpetrators as well as control groups such as priests not guilty of abusing children.

The board is working with the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse to have a detailed proposal for the study ready in September so that qualified research centers can bid to do the report, she said.

1 4 The Catholic News & Herald

July 9, 2004

Perspectives

A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints

Ask the Bishop Do you have a question for Bishop Peter J. Jugis? The Catholic News & Herald is starting a new feature in which Bishop Jugis will answer questions that are submitted via regular mail or e-mail.

Questions about the faith and the Diocese of Charlotte that have a broad appeal will receive priority consideration for response in the newspaper.

When submitting a question, please include your name, address and a daytime telephone number. Questions may be condensed due to space limitations and edited for clarity, style and factual accuracy.

Send your “Ask the Bishop” question to Ask the Bishop, The Catholic News & Herald, P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28203, or e-mail askthebishop@charlottediocese.org.

Abortion vs. War Targeting of innocent life makes all the difference others’ rights. There’s a big difference between targeting military and communications equipment to disrupt the operations of the enemy and just trying to kill as many people as we can.

No doubt, some will read this column and begin arguing with me that the war in Iraq is not justified. The column is not arguing with them, but precisely pointing out that it is OK for them to come to that conclusion. It is also OK for someone else to come to the conclusion that the war is justified.

What is not OK is for someone to say, “You are not pro-life because you support the war.” In fact, one may support the war precisely because he or she is pro-life and concludes that in this case, force is the only way to protect human life, human rights and human freedom from the hands of those who would destroy it. Others may disagree, which is fine — but don’t deny the other person’s right to come to a different conclusion.

And do not miss the profound difference with abortion. There is no room for interpretations or evaluations of whether abortion may be justified. It cannot be, because its very essence is the deliberate targeting and destruction of a child. In war, we do not target a single child, whereas every abortion targets a child.

Catholic teaching allows more than one position on war, but it does not allow more than one position on abortion.

Father Pavone is the national director of Priests for Life.

Guest Column FATHER FRANK PAVONE Guest Columnist This column requires extra effort to explain what it is not. It is not an evaluation of the war in Iraq or of any national leaders.

It is, however, an observation, on the level of moral principle, about the relationship between abortion, war and being pro-life. And even there, I am limiting myself to a couple of very simple and specific points and not an exhaustive analysis.

In his historic speech to the United Nations in 1965, Pope Paul VI cried out, “War never again, war never again!” The world must heed these words. They don’t just mean, “Don’t fight.” They mean that we have to make justice and human rights so secure that the need to fight disappears.

Many ask whether one can be a good Catholic or be pro-life and support the war. The answer is yes, which is to say that Catholic and pro-life teaching do allow for circumstances in which war is justified, because sometimes war has to be waged precisely for the defense of life.

Even when war is justified, life is always lost in the process. But innocent life is never targeted, and that makes all the difference in the world. How many innocent lives, and how many children, have been deliberately targeted for destruction in the current war?

By comparison, every abortion deliberately targets and destroys a child; otherwise, it isn’t even an abortion.

The purpose of war is not to kill the enemy, but rather to deprive the enemy of his ability to wage war and to destroy

Pope begins northern Italian vacation, says all need time for rest by

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Editor’s note: There will be no weekly general audiences while the pope is on vacation until July 17.

INTROD, Italy — Pope John Paul II began his mountain vacation in northern Italy under heavy security, stopping briefly to listen to local schoolchildren recite a poem of welcome.

After a flight from Rome, the pope arrived July 5 in Les Combes, near Introd in the Aosta Valley. His chaletstyle residence was fenced off and dozens of Italian police guarded the perimeter.

Passing through the village, the pope’s car stopped briefly so he could accept flowers, listen to the mayor’s greeting and hear the children’s poem.

Other than recital of the Angelus July 11, the pope had no public activities planned before his return to Rome July 17.

Before leaving Rome, the pope wished everyone a happy vacation, saying people need an annual period of “serene relaxation.” He said those who cannot take a real vacation should at least be able to break up their work schedule to include recreation and leisure activities.

Speaking at his noon blessing July 4, the pope also reflected on the threeday visit to the Vatican of Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

The pope said his various encounters with the patriarch, including a major liturgy in St. Peter’s Square, had “confirmed and advanced the commitment of Catholics and Orthodox to the service of the great cause of full communion among Christians.”

He said they had both agreed to continue and intensify doctrinal dialogue and practical cooperation. Their encounters, he said, represented an

The Pope Speaks POPE JOHN PAUL II

example of “how Christians can and should always cooperate, even in the presence of divisions and conflicts.”

The pope said their talks were especially fruitful on the issue of Catholic-Orthodox cooperation in Europe, a continent that “should not forget its Christian roots.”

The pope did not give other specifics of his talks with the patriarch, but he ended his reflection by saying: “May God bring to fulfillment the proposals formulated in these meetings.”

In his final major audience before beginning his vacation, the pope met July 3 with European church leaders meeting to discuss Catholic education on the continent.

The pope said he was concerned that the increasing focus on scholastic formation and professional training was leaving too little space for the “full development of young people.”

This has left many young Europeans confused, he said.

He said Europe has a rich humanistic tradition that should not be sacrificed in an age when educational programs are often driven by economic interests. Europe’s educational traditions also have strong Christian elements, he said. By emphasizing “being” and not just “having,” the traditional Christian approach helps young people mature, he said.

Letter to the

Roosevelt quote unfairly In the politically correct climate that continues to wreak havoc on our nation and in our families and churches, here is but another flagrant example of our efforts not to offend anyone.

Part of Roosevelt’s speech is engraved on the Pacific side of the WW II memorial in Washington (“Catholic World War II vets on new memorial: It’s about time,” May 28), but in our country’s grandiose efforts to be tolerant, the final

words of his proclamation have not been included — Roosevelt’s speech to the nation ends with “so help us God.” Roosevelt’s words are engraved on the hearts of those who heard them but each year there are fewer of them. How long will we rewrite history to the detriment of our children and our nation?

— Mary Pat Arostegui Matthews

The Catholic News & Herald 15

July 9, 2004

‘The center of God’s will’ Anytime I’m able to pass along a complimentary word about a fellow priest, I’m glad to do so even when I don’t personally know the priest in question. In this case, though, I do know people who know him well, and they’ve convinced me that he’s the kind of priest, and the kind of man, who rates a special mention.

I can’t think of a better time to do this than right now, as the country is about to come together to celebrate the Fourth of July. It’s a wonderful time to salute this priest and his special calling, and what it means to every one of us.

His name is Father Tim Vakoc, a priest of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese. More important, for our consideration at the moment, he is an Army chaplain. His men have known him as Father Tim, or Maj. Vakoc, and just plain “Padre.” Late in May, he was seriously wounded in Iraq, the first chaplain to suffer that fate.

He was returning to his barracks after celebrating Mass for some of the troops. He was driving his Humvee when a roadside bomb went off, leaving him with some terrible wounds. He came home to the United States early in June, but those who tried to visit him at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., were frustrated. He was still heavily sedated, and early attempts at communication were not successful.

This is a man — a priest, a hero — who needs our prayers. By all accounts

Light One Candle MSGR. JIM LISANTE Guest Columnist he will continue to need them for some time to come.

One thing that Father Tim Vakoc said stands out above all others, and helps me to explain why I’m singling him out here. In a letter to his sister during an earlier deployment in Bosnia, here’s what Father Tim, the Padre, had to say: “The safest place for me to be is in the center of God’s will — and if that is in the line of fire, that is where I will be.”

What a testimony of faith that is, and what an eloquent expression of service. Here’s how the Wall Street Journal treated this all-embracing commitment: In our sardonic age, the Journal reflected, “the phrase ‘for God and Country’ may be greeted in some quarters with cynicism. But we take the measure of Father Tim and fellow chaplains by their willingness to put their lives on the line for these words.

Where others see a mass of troops,

they see individuals with souls and troubles that need tending.”

And that, of course, is what military chaplains are all about. Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien of the U.S. Military Archdiocese, which oversees the spiritual care of Catholic men and women in the armed forces and those who serve them as chaplains, said Father Tim is a perfect example of what a good chaplain should be.

“I’ve known him fairly well from his earlier assignments,” Archbishop O’Brien said. “He impresses you as any good parish priest would. He loves his work and he loves the people assigned to his care. He’s mature and he’s agreeable. To sum it up, he’s perfectly at home in the role that God gave him.”

Maj. Vakoc is part of a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of this nation, when the Continental Congress authorized a corps of chaplains to serve the newly formed Army.

Then as now, chaplains of all faiths would remind soldiers and sailors at war that they were still responsible to a higher calling. As the Wall Street Journal put it, the chaplain is the unarmed soldier whose job it is to serve those who serve.

Maj. Vakoc is one of those chaplains, and as it happens he is one of the very best. He and others like him have been serving with distinction ever since the United States came into being. As once again we prepare to celebrate all that our nation’s independence has meant to us, that’s a thought worth remembering.

Pastors’ decisions on baptizing children ing, he should delay the baptism and explain the reason to the parents (Canon 868).

The ritual for baptism emphasizes the point. At least twice during the ceremony, Catholic parents profess adherence to the faith in which the child is being baptized and promise to give the example needed for the child to be raised in their faith.

Normally, this promise cannot be made unless the Catholic parents themselves are faithful in their Catholic practice and are not simply bringing the child for baptism because of family tradition or a vague feeling that “it’s the right thing to do.”

In other words, the church is concerned that parents not be placed in the position of making a profession of faith they do not honestly believe.

But — and this is a crucial point — the story does not end there. The parish priest is obliged to help parents who are not yet ready genuinely to profess their faith, to assist them in assuming responsibility for the religious education of their children and then to decide the right time for baptism.

I realize this may startle some Catholics. But being realistic, our situation is vastly different from when we almost automatically baptized children of baptized Catholic parents.

Anyone familiar with Catholic history of the last few centuries knows that by automatic baptisms, first Com-

Q. Our pastor gave a beautiful homily recently on baptism, saying children have a right to baptism as soon as possible after birth. However, this seems to vary from pastor to pastor.

Certain pastors refuse baptism to an innocent child if they judge parents are not “Catholic” enough. Others welcome infants with open arms, even if their parents are out in left field of their faith.

How do you explain this? (Illinois) A. I think we need first to clarify the church’s policy on the matter. When Catholic parents (or a Catholic partner in an interfaith marriage) are seriously deficient in their Catholic practice, the pastor is obliged to delay baptism until he can help the parents rethink their faith.

True, children should be baptized “within the first weeks” after birth (Canon 867). The law assumes, however, that parents are practicing their faith, prepared to raise their children as faithful Catholic men and women.

Thus, the same law requires that immediately after birth or before, the parents go to their parish priest to request the sacrament of baptism and to be properly prepared for it. A priest may not, in fact, lawfully baptize a child unless he has a solidly founded hope that the baby will be raised properly as a member of the Catholic religion.

If evidence for this hope is lack-

Question Corner FATHER JOHN DIETZEN CNS Columnist munions and confirmations, whole populations of people remained at an almost primitive level of faith. One generation of baptized, nonpracticing Catholic parents succeeded another.

Few were called to open themselves to the possibility of growth to a fuller Christian Catholic life.

As someone put it well, a church which never says “no” to parents who are seriously deficient in their belief and practice of their faith never will allow them to become deeply believing parents.

Obviously various subjective judgments come into play here, which could be one reason for the differences you experience. It’s also possible that sometimes these concerns of the church are neglected.

It remains vital that Catholic parents desire in their own hearts that the baptism of their child will be what it was meant to be, an earnest recommitment of all their family to the faith they hope to share with their child.

What is the right way to create The Human Side FATHER

EUGENE HEMRICK CNS Columnist During the Prayers of the Faithful at daily Mass two days before the April 25 women’s pro-choice march on Washington, a woman prayed in a vengeful tone: “May this weekend’s march end in disaster! Let us pray to the Lord.”

There was dead silence among those present. Then a few parishioners quietly whispered, “Lord hear our prayer.”

The next morning another woman prayed, “Let us pray that those marching, for purposes contrary to God’s will, will have a change of mind and heart.” The response from the congregation was a loud, “Let us pray to the Lord!”

In the book “The Idea of a University,” Cardinal John Henry Newman gave a profound definition of a gentleman as a person who avoids all vengefulness, cutting remarks or anything that will discomfort another. This reflects Christ, the Suffering Servant.

When Christ stood trial and saw the injustice of it all, he could have lashed out and brought the curse of God down upon the Romans and Jews. Rather, he remained silent and suffered injustice out of love for us. He turned the other cheek and in doing so taught us the peaceful way of bringing about reconciliation.

Christ is a martyr who witnesses to what he believes and loves, and because of that belief and love our hearts have been changed forever.

In the proverb, “You can attract more bees with honey than with vinegar.” If we substitute the words “love” and “selfsacrifice” for “honey,” we have the model of reconciliation that Christ foremost used to bring about our salvation.

Yet, the Scriptures tell us to be vigilant, not to put our light under a bushel basket and to stand steadfast.

In baptism we receive the gift of prophecy, and like the prophets we are expected to speak out boldly when we experience people ignoring God’s will. In his public life, Christ often spoke out boldly when people were breaking God’s law.

In fact, he was rather ferocious with the money changers in the Temple.

One of the biggest challenges the church faces in catechizing its people is understanding when we all are called to be Christ the Suffering Servant and when we are called to be Christ the vigilant, bold prophet.

We need to better reconcile these two approaches, an important challenge for the church in a society where citizens hold such diverse views on matters of great concern.

July 9, 2004

The Catholic News & Herald 16

LIVING THE FAITH

Mourners, including former U.S. president, remember Mattie mother.

Mattie also raised awareness of muscular dystrophy and appeared on the “Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon” to help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which named him good-will ambassador two years in a row. Displayed at the front of the church near the bouquets of flowers were pictures of Mattie smiling from ear to ear.

Winfrey said when she first met Mattie, as a guest on her show three years ago, “I fell in love with him.”

“I found him to be magical,” she said. He appeared on her show to spread the message of peace and hope, as the second of his final wishes.

Continuing their friendship through e-mail, they discussed, among other things, their feelings about death. She told the standing-roomonly crowd in the church that Mattie had taught her a lot and had given her a lot of advice.

Those who were lucky enough to have met Mattie, said Winfrey “will feel the glow.” She added, “His heart song has left a heart print in my life.”

One of Mattie’s most important philosophies was to “always remember to play after every storm.”

“He had adult thoughts, but he was a child,” said Murray Pollack, chairman of the Division of Pediatric Services at Children’s Hospital in Washington.

He said Mattie was a “world-class prankster.” At his request, Mattie had with him in his casket a favorite stuffed animal and his remote-control whoopee cushion.

In his remarks, Carter noted that, just as Jesus was fully human and fully divine, Mattie had the character of an adult but was still a child.

“Mattie was an angel of God,” he said.

The youngster, who believed in peace, justice, humility, service, compassion and love, was concerned about a legacy, Carter said. “His legacy is forever because his heart songs will resonate in the hearts of people forever.”

CNS photo courtesy Muscular Dystrophy Association

Mourners gathered at St. Catherine Laboure Church in Wheaton, Md., to honor 13-year-old Mattie Stepanek, who died June 22 after battling a rare form of muscular dystrophy. He was remembered as a peacemaker, poet and philosopher during his funeral Mass. Mattie is pictured with one of his five best-selling books of poetry.

In one poem, Mattie wrote he would continue to be a peacemaker in heaven.

Instead of a hearse, a fire truck carried Mattie’s body to the cemetery as he had requested and was escorted by bikers he had met at the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon.

Mattie was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring next to his siblings, Jaime, Katie and Stevie, who as toddlers died of the same disease Mattie had. His mother suffers from the adult form of the disease.

After the service at the cemetery, family and friends gathered at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds for a reception to celebrate his life.

by HENRIETTE GOMES catholic news service

WHEATON, Md. — Former President Carter told the congregation at a Wheaton church June 28 that he had met kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, but the “most extraordinary person I have ever known in my life is Mattie Stepanek.”

Thirteen-year-old Mattie, who died

June 22 in Washington after battling a rare form of muscular dystrophy, was remembered as a peacemaker, poet and philosopher during his funeral Mass at St. Catherine Laboure Church in the Washington suburb of Wheaton.

Included among the hundreds of mourners were two of his friends and heroes, Carter and talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.

Mattie met the former president as one of his final wishes three years ago on television’s “Good Morning America.”

The two of them had an “instantaneous bond,” said Carter.

Knowing the boy, he said, “literally changed my life for the better.” When Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize, he said, he remembered feeling that Mattie had shared in the award.

Mattie suffered from dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy that disrupts heart rate, digestion and breathing. He used a motorized wheelchair with an attached ventilator to assist his breathing.

He gained international acclaim as a peace advocate and captured the hearts of many with his “Heartsongs” — a five-book series of poetry. Three of the books reached The New York Times’ best-seller list.

In his homily, Father Isidore Dixon, pastor of Most Holy Rosary Parish in Rosaryville, where Mattie and his mother, Jeni, were longtime parishioners before moving to Rockville, said, “Mattie gave us a great example of embracing the cross.”

Mattie shared, he said, in the sufferings of Christ and made many sacrifices. The priest told the crowd, which included hundreds of firefighters, some Harley Davidson riders and people from all walks of life, that Mattie “gave us a great example of what it means to be a believer.”

While at Most Holy Rosary Parish, Mattie had served as a lector and member of the choir along with his Notice to Readers The Parish Profile will return.